In a huff, Kassy threw her notebook down on her desk and sat down in her leather chair. Opening it, she flipped through the pages until she came to her notes. Logging onto the Internet, she clicked on the search icon and typed in “Backstreet Boys.” Despite the never-ending pages of notes she had from their concert, it still wasn’t enough. She didn’t just need a good paper. She was fighting to keep her job. She needed a spectacular one.

“Searching for porn sites?” Whirling around in her seat, she came face to face with AJ, who looked up and alert, better than he’d looked fifteen minutes ago in sweatpants and no shirt.

“Not unless there are any BSB porn sites,” Kassy countered, smiling weakly. Grabbing a chair from the corner of the room, he dragged it over next to her and sat down. Keeping her place, he flipped through the notebook and smiled.

“Doing research?” he asked. Kassy nodded, her eyes still on the screen. “On the web?” Kassy nodded again. “Why?”

“Because I’d like to keep my job!” she snapped. AJ’s eyes widened in surprise and she immediately felt horrible. AJ, I’m sorry. It’s just that Rolling Stones is getting downsizing and my editor needs to get rid of a few reporters. He’s basically testing all of them to see which ones he can ‘spare’. Sorry I snapped.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, putting a hand on her shoulder and squeezing softly. “You’re under a lot of pressure, I understand that, but why are you sitting on the web looking for information about us when you have all of us sitting in your house with nothing to do.”

Almost all of you, Kassy thought. She shrugged.

“I dunno,” she said. “I guess it’s just that I think of you guys as my friends and I really don’t want to bother you with it.”

“Girl, all reporters bother their subjects,” he laughed. “It’s what they’re paid to do.” Taking her hand off the mouse, he logged her off the Internet and grabbed her hand. “C’mon, I’ll show ya what a reporter is supposed to be like.” Grabbing her notebook and a pen with his free hand, he dragged her out of the room and down the steps to the living room. Sitting her down on the couch. He cupped ones of his hands around his mouth. “Yo! Guys! Come into the living room!” Nick walked out of the kitchen, holding his ears.

“Man, Jay! You don’t have to be so loud! We’re right here,” the blonde groaned, trying to shake the ringing sound out of his head. He smiled shyly at Kassy as he took a seat on the floor near the couch. AJ sat down next to Kassy and leaned over to whisper in her ear as the other three, including Kristin, followed Nick out of the kitchen.

“Lesson number one about being a reporter: If you don’t have what you want, yell at the top of your lungs until you get it,” he whispered, making Kassy collapse into a fit of giggles.

“What do you want, Jay?” Howie asked, sitting down on Kassy’s other side and stretching his arms across the back of the couch.

“Well, it seems that Kassy, here, needs a little help,” AJ stated, getting everyone’s attention. He enjoyed watching out the corner of his eye as her face turn red.

“What’s up, Kas?” Kevin asked, concerned, sitting down in the loveseat and pulling Kristin down next to him.

“She’s having job trouble,” AJ explained. “Rolling Stones is downsizing and all of the reporters have been assigned to different stories to see which one’s they can ‘spare’.”

“Kind of like a test?” Howie asked. Kassy nodded.

“Yeah,” she said, sheepishly.

“What can we help you with?” Kristin asked.

“It seems as though this little doll’s assignment is us,” AJ said, proudly. “Now, when I went upstairs, I found her searching the net for info about us.”

“Kas, we’re sitting right here,” Howie said. “All you have to do was ask and we’ll tell you everything.” She nodded sheepishly.

“Well, umm, I do kinda have a list of questions,” she admitted, reaching for her notebook, which was still in AJ’s hands. He pulled it out of her reach and opened it, revealing a list of typed up questions. After scanning down the list, he chucked it over his shoulder. “Hey!”

“Boring!” AJ announced. Opening the pen, he flipped through the notebook until he found a group of blank pages. After scribbling down a few things on the first page, he looked up, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. “Now, watch the master at work.”

“Oh lord,” Howie groaned, hitting his head on Kassy’s shoulder. She only smiled and leaned back into the couch, watching as AJ shot off a round of questions, beginning with, “How many managers have the Backstreet Boys gone through and how many of them were tossed out on their *ss?”